Local nanosatellite company Fleet Space Technologies will construct a new mission control centre in Adelaide that will more than double its current staff numbers.

The ‘Mission Control South Australia’ project, which will create 17 ongoing jobs in IT and advanced manufacturing, is supported with a $500,000 Future Jobs Fund grant that will be matched by a $500,000 investment from Fleet Space Technologies.

Announcing the grant award, Treasurer Tom Koutsantonis said the project will put an end to outsourcing mission control services overseas, and create highly-skilled jobs in Adelaide.

“Jobs are Labor’s number one priority and we’re backing innovative companies like Fleet Space Technologies because it’s these firms that are creating the exciting employment opportunities that will keep our children and young people in South Australia,” Mr Koutsantonis said.

“We don’t apologise for identifying high growth companies in industries of the future and partnering with them to create jobs. This is a fantastic project that will strengthen South Australia’s bourgeoning space industry and attract the best and brightest to our state.”

Fleet Space Technologies – which manufactures ultra-low cost “nanosatellites” for applications such as tracking livestock movements, environmental, soil and water monitoring and supply chain logistics – is currently engaged in multiple projects across the globe, working to solve some of humanity’s greatest challenges from space.

The company’s CEO, Flavia Tata Nardini said the project will put South Australia on the map as a space hub.

“While we have global ambitions, it is important to us that we continue to contribute to our local economy as we scale. This grant enables us to create technical jobs that will grow the space industry here in Adelaide,” she continued.

“South Australia is extremely well-positioned to take advantage of the opportunities that a space industry will bring, and thanks to ongoing support from the State Government, we look set to do so. It really is an exciting time to be a space business in South Australia!”